Thursday, May 17, 2012

Valkyrie Profile: Of a Mercenary and a Princess

Valkyrie Profile:

Einherjar Fates:

Summery: This will be a series of One Shots that covers what the einherjar Lenneth collected did next after she attained Creation. This is to help set the stage for a fanfic I'm working on that takes place after the end of the original Valkyrie Profile. Read this first if you want to know why certain einherjar was either present or absent in that fic.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. We'd have had Valkyrie Profile: Hrist by now if I did.

Arngrim and Jelanda

The wind rustled tree branches and leaves and whistled through opened windows as the form of a young girl walked the grand halls of an enormous castle. She searched for something. No, someone. For the life of her, she couldn't find him. Down one hall, she checked all the rooms. Then another, and another. She wondered if she were lost a few times, as the castle's gray stone walls and ceiling and red carpeting all looked the same. A servant passed her and there, but offered no assistance. She may have been a princess in her old life, but here, a soldier to be sent off to die if need be.

Her name was Jelanda, former princess of Artolia. Died age 14 at the hands of the one she now sought and one of few she trusted completely and utterly.

The girl sighed and shrugged hopelessly as she passed a staircase, briefing glimpsing down it and before continuing on her way. Of course, a moment after she did, it registered that she noticed something and she backtracked. There, just left of the bottom of the stairs lied the person she sought.

"Of course he wouldn't be napping anywhere normal," She thought with a huff.

"Anrgrim!"

"What? Can't a guy get some sleep around here? What you want?"

"Why are you sleeping on the floor?"

He responded with an incoherent mumbling.

"You've into the Aesir's drink again, haven't you?"

"What? No… Just can't sleep on those beds they got here."

After a pause, she inquired why.

"Eh, too soft. My own was rock hard, or a sleeping bag when on jobs."

She suppressed a giggle at the man's expense.

"Who're you laughing at?"

"You, of course, dummy."

"…You're probably the only person who can get away with that, little one."

"I know!"

"So what'd you want? You didn't pass right by this spot 'bout a dozen times just going on a pleasant little stroll, though you could get all your exercise done here without ever going outside."

"Arngrim… As you know the Lady Lenneth was given us all the choice of what happens in our lives…afterlives…well… What happens to us next. I swear, being dead makes finding the right words infuriating at times!"

"Mm-Hm."

"Well…"

The girl turned and hid her face from big man stumbling over her words. He raised as eyebrow and looked at her, his curiosity piqued.

"Hmm? Hey, if you've got something to say to me, just say it."

"The hoodlum makes it sound so easy," She thought.

She eventually turned to face him again looking uncertain.

"Well, I'm going…wherever you are."

"What?"

"That's right. I'm not going back home to Artolia! My father is a coward, he couldn't even see the treachery before his very eyes even after Lumbart sent me to our enemy, put your blameless brother in prison (Oh, thank the gods for Lawfer), and led his own country to ruin from what I've heard. What is there to go back to? You're all I have."

Jelanda took a deep breath. There, she'd spit it out just like he told her to. Now it was on him how this conversation went next. Unfortunately, it was now his turn to pause, unblinking I might add.
After minutes had passed, Jelanda began to become very cross.

"Well, if you have something to say, say it, Arngrim!"

"Well, if you're stayin' anywhere I am, I hope you didn't already get packed."

"Lenneth invited us all into the Water Mirror room for a quick look down at Midgard, right?"

"Yes. The one called Freya was having a conniption fit about it."

"He was fine."

"At that moment, but he's crippled, for gods' sake!"

"He was with Celia. He'll be fine."

"…Alright. Well, then I'm staying, too."

"Good to have you on-board, little one."

"Good to be on-board, you big oaf."

"Hey!"

With that, two had a chuckle. Arngrim suddenly leapt to his feet, and was on his way to the dining hall for something to eat. The little princess followed along as they struck up a chat about nothing in particular.